Former Columbus City Councilwoman Les Wright died in Texas on Sunday at the age of 87.
Wright was the first Black woman to serve on Columbus City Council, serving from 1990 to 1999. She served as Columbus City Council's president pro tem in her second term.
Former Columbus City Councilmember Priscilla Tyson said Monday that she had known Wright for more than 50 years. Tyson says Wright taught Sunday school at Trinity Baptist Church.
"Les Wright has been my mentor, but she's been more than that. She's family," Tyson said.
Tyson said Wright blazed a trail for many. In a written tribute, Tyson wrote: "Establishing the Alliance of Black Women and Corporate Sisters was more than a groundbreaking act of leadership. It was a bold commitment to bring women together and provide the support they needed to thrive in business and political arenas."
Tyson told 星空无限传媒 that Wright was the one who encouraged her to run for public office. Tyson says her own background was business. Tyson wasn't involved in politics and hadn't thought about running.
"But Les was the first person that said to me, 'Priscilla, this is something you should do,'" Tyson said.
Wright not only served on City Council, but she was also an executive at Columbus and Southern Ohio Electric and served on many boards, including the United Way, King Arts Complex and the Greater Columbus Arts Council.
Wright and her husband also ran a successful janitorial business.
Wright was born in Arkansas and moved to Columbus at age 5. She was a 1955 graduate of East High School.
